Nataka's Favorite Bok Choy Salad

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Sarah Blackburn

One of my favorite things to grow is bok choy. It is one of those greens, much like lilies, that are a true indication that the season is on and popping. This pungent yet delicious vegetable can be sown in the ground in the spring, fall or summer. Bok choy can be cooked or eaten raw.

In the summer, bok choy is sensitive to the heat and can bolt, producing a flower which then goes to seed. This can also occur if the plant is stressed from freezing temps or from leaving it in a pot too long without watering.

If you are really ambitious and just can’t get enough bok choy, like me, sow new seeds around late August for a September harvest. Be sure to water daily until the seeds have popped. Plants are great communicators and will always let you know when they are stressed from lack of water.

With your harvest, try this salad with onions, mandarin oranges and sesame seeds, dressed with a hint of toasted sesame oil and light soy sauce. Grow and be happy!

Nataka’s Favorite Bok Choy Recipe

Serves 2

1 head bok choy, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 mandarin orange, peeled and supremed (flesh cut away from the membrane)
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Softly massage the bok choy with salt to tenderize the greens. Mix in all remaining ingredients and serve.

NATAKA CRAYTON-WALKER is a farmer and Operations Manager at the Urban Farming Institute. Nataka is a lifetime advocate for social, economic, and environmental justice, particular for communities of color. Mrs. Crayton has developed youth programs, led several community development projects, and was instrumental in helping to create the Urban Farming Institute. She is a catalyst for change through activities that improve the lives of people in her neighborhood and throughout Boston. Through UFI, she not only inspires via her loving leadership, she empowers residents to grow their own food and cook healthy meals as a path to healthier living. In her spare time, she is growing a nursery business and has fun cooking up creative and healthy dishes as a Private Chef.